'A defector from the biological weapons Department 12 of the KGB "illegals" (S) directorate (e.g., presently a part of Russian SVR service) claimed a serum code-named SP-117[27] was highly effective, and has been widely used. According to him, "The 'remedy which loosens the tongue' has no taste, no smell, no color, and no immediate side effects. Most importantly, a person had no recollection having had the 'heart-to-heart talk'," and felt afterward as though they'd suddenly fallen asleep. Officers of S Directorate primarily used the drug to verify fidelity and trustworthiness of their agents who operated overseas'
Developed By Abbott Laboratories, 1930s.
TRUTH SERUM
Sodium Thiopental, also known as the Truth Serum, was used by the OSS, CIA and the Soviets during interrogations. In an earlier post about Russian Assassination techniques, we covered the use of such a serum, SP-117, to interrogate defectors and double agents prior to their being killed. These killings outside of the motherland were commonly carried out using hard to detect poisons including vapours and/or gas.
LETHAL DOSES
When I wrote that earlier post, I missed two very important points and they were that it causes the spleen to enlarge and in a large dose, 9g, Thiopental, (Sodium Pentathol) was and may still be used to carry out executions in the US.
'The most compelling evidence that even 5 g of thiopental alone may not be lethal, however, is that some California inmates continued to breathe for up to 9 min after thiopental was injected. This observation directly contradicts testimony of that state's expert witness, who asserted that "this dose of thiopental sodium will cause virtually all persons to stop breathing within a minute of drug administration" and that "virtually every person given 5 grams of thiopental sodium will have stopped breathing prior to the administration of the pancuronium bromide".[24] The witness has made identical statements regarding 3 g of thiopental.[14] Indeed, the clinical literature is replete with examples of patients experiencing respiratory failure after even low doses of thiopental.[25] Others, however, experience merely transient, nonfatal apnea. Of course, for inmates who did not stop breathing with thiopental alone, it is impossible to know whether the thiopental solution was correctly mixed, whether the entire dose was administered intravenously, or whether the apparent resistance was due to bolus dosing or individual variation. It remains possible, however, that bolus dosing of 5 g of thiopental alone might not be fatal in all persons. Indeed, nonhuman primates given as much as 60 mg/kg (the mass equivalent of 6 g for a 100 kg man) experienced prolonged sleep, but ultimately recovered.[26]'
Who administered the drug? Someone with medical training?
Or is it the case that he was drugged to the extent that his spleen was damaged and the lethal poison was administered post interrogation?
Wouldn't the drug have been discovered in the autopsy? Good question and it seems that it is possible that it wouldn't have been detected according to the Soviet descriptions of their drugs.
All up for discussion. What are your thoughts?
'The most compelling evidence that even 5 g of thiopental alone may not be lethal, however, is that some California inmates continued to breathe for up to 9 min after thiopental was injected. This observation directly contradicts testimony of that state's expert witness, who asserted that "this dose of thiopental sodium will cause virtually all persons to stop breathing within a minute of drug administration" and that "virtually every person given 5 grams of thiopental sodium will have stopped breathing prior to the administration of the pancuronium bromide".[24] The witness has made identical statements regarding 3 g of thiopental.[14] Indeed, the clinical literature is replete with examples of patients experiencing respiratory failure after even low doses of thiopental.[25] Others, however, experience merely transient, nonfatal apnea. Of course, for inmates who did not stop breathing with thiopental alone, it is impossible to know whether the thiopental solution was correctly mixed, whether the entire dose was administered intravenously, or whether the apparent resistance was due to bolus dosing or individual variation. It remains possible, however, that bolus dosing of 5 g of thiopental alone might not be fatal in all persons. Indeed, nonhuman primates given as much as 60 mg/kg (the mass equivalent of 6 g for a 100 kg man) experienced prolonged sleep, but ultimately recovered.[26]'
THE QUESTIONS
Is it possible that the Somerton Man was given injections of this drug for interrogation purposes? Is it possible it was delivered over a period of time, a day or two, and is it possible that he was inadvertently given an overdose over that time? The spleen could have been enlarged at some time in the process.Who administered the drug? Someone with medical training?
Or is it the case that he was drugged to the extent that his spleen was damaged and the lethal poison was administered post interrogation?
Wouldn't the drug have been discovered in the autopsy? Good question and it seems that it is possible that it wouldn't have been detected according to the Soviet descriptions of their drugs.
All up for discussion. What are your thoughts?